This invention relates generally to infant activity centers, and more particularly to a portable infant playground.
Activity centers provide infants with many developmental benefits. This is true even if an infant cannot physically interact with the activity center. In such cases, infants can receive audio and visual stimulation through various stimulation events that can be set in motion either manually or automatically. Additional visual stimulation are provided through proper selection of fabric, both along the cross pieces and the base and sides. Proper selection of additional items to hang from the cross members further adds to the infant's visual stimulation while in the playground. The present playground is designed so as to be placed either on the floor or any other safe and secure locations that provides both solid support underneath and which would not allow the infant to fall to the ground. The present invention does NOT propose to be a safety item that precludes it's improper placement, which improper placement, places the infant in danger.
As the infant develops, the infant will increase his (or her) physical interaction with the activity center. This physical interaction further encourages the development of physical attributes such as hand-eye coordination, range of motion, etc. Most conventional activity centers are designed to encourage interaction with the infant's hands. Here, effective activity-center designs enable infants to interact with the activity center with minimal directed hand coordination. More recent activity center designs have now begun to incorporate interactive elements that interact with an infant's feet. These types of activity centers require that the infant kick the event initiating means. The resultant events include visual and auditory events to further stimulate the infant. These infant activity centers provide an interaction that does not grow along with the child. Indeed, the activity centers of the art are of the “one size fits all” paradigm in which all children are assumed to be within a standard set of parameters, such as height. However, this limitation makes the activity center at the proper height for the child for a minimal period of time. These and other limitations of activity centers in the art are overcome by the portable playground of the present invention.